Tulsa receives $87 million in ARPA funding

By Kristi Eaton

The City of Tulsa was allocated more than $87 million from the American Rescue Plan Act funds.

The funds are meant to help communities recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the City’s July 2022 Recovery Plan Report, “these directly funded, once-in-alifetime dollars have provided transformational investments to address both the urgent and long-term needs of the city and our citizens who have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

To distribute the funds, Mayor G.T. Bynum and four members of the City Council formed a working group.

“In considering the highest and best use of these one-time funds, Tulsa’s safety and economic growth are the top priorities,” Bynum said in an October 2021 press statement. “I am grateful for the months my fellow American Rescue Plan Working Group members have put in to evaluating so many worthy projects, and believe the list presented to the City Council today will have a significant positive impact on the daily lives of Tulsans in all parts of our city.”

According to the Recovery Plan report from July 2022, the funds have been allocated to Public Safety, Economic Development and Tourism, Justice Reform, Public Health and Human Services, Public Facilities and Infrastructure, as well as the local nonprofits that are on the frontlines, assisting the most vulnerable residents.

“The working group’s recommendations allow us as elected leaders to assist those most impacted by the pandemic, support public health and maintain our natural resources,” District 1 Councilor Vanessa Hall-Harper said. “Whether the program fills gaps in mental health services, or we create outdoor destinations for communities traditionally underserved, these recommendations provide a unique opportunity to improve quality of life and the citizen experience.”

Resolutions were passed by the Council in regard to ARPA funds. One project is deemed the 21st Street Market Project, which the working group allocated $1 million.

The Project will be an incubator for immigrant entrepreneurship, according to the resolution, which noted that “immigrants represent 7.2% of Tulsa’s population and play a critical role in the social and economic fabric of the City.”

In addition to the incubator, the project will include a multi-use outdoor community space and an international market-themed retail space.

Another ARPA allocation went to non-stop flight service, which the Council resolution stated adds an estimated $15 million to the local and state economy. According to the resolution, nonstop flights not only help to recruit businesses, but also “play an immensely critical role in the City’s economic vitality.”

Prior to the pandemic, Tulsa had 19 direct nonstop flights and through the pandemic Tulsa lost seven of those. The $1.5 million allocated for the Direct Air Service Grant Program will aid in the endeavor to bring more nonstop flights to Tulsa.